US military expands aerial counter-narcotics campaign in Latin America

US forces are expanding their use of air power in the campaign against drug trafficking in Latin America, according to a report on the military's operations in the region.

The article describes the effort against coca-growing areas, drug smugglers and supply chains as an example of asymmetric warfare, with different types of aircraft used against cocaine, fentanyl and other narcotics.

It cites the detention and removal from the country of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces in early January 2026 as the opening of a new phase. Washington justified the operation partly by alleging that Maduro and those around him were deeply involved in international drug trafficking. US President Donald Trump is quoted as saying in January 2026 that 97 percent of drugs arriving by sea had been eliminated and that the cartels would now be targeted on land.

Since then, the report says, US forces have attacked suspected smuggling boats directly with lethal force more often than before, while drones and counter-drone systems are increasingly used along the Mexican border. It notes that Latin America does not produce only cocaine: in regions such as Mexico and Guatemala, opium poppies are also cultivated to make opium paste and eventually heroin.

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is described as an important platform in the US arsenal. The armed medium-altitude, long-endurance drone can remain over an area for many hours and combines electro-optical and infrared sensors with weapons including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and precision-guided bombs, making it suitable for monitoring large areas, identifying suspicious activity and carrying out precise air-to-ground strikes.

The report adds that the MQ-9 Reaper did not account for the majority of attacks carried out since 2025.